Thermal containers, which may be referred to as coolers, ice chests, ice boxes, insulated containers, and the like, are used for a number of applications and in a variety of environments. In one application, a thermal or insulated container or cooler may be used to carry food, perishables, drinks, such as canned drinks or bottled water, and will often include ice or some other cooling agent to maintain the items at a desired temperature range. In other applications, food or other cargo susceptible to spoiling may be carried in a cooler to maintain such items at a desired temperature in either a wet or dry environment. Problems may arise when items that need to be maintained at or below a particular temperature are used in an application in which the lid or entry point to a thermal cooler is frequently opened, thus making temperature regulation and maintenance difficult.
Because of the numerous and varied applications and uses of a cooler, they come in multiple sizes for a variety of uses. Consumers often have to purchase numerous different coolers of the same and different sizes based upon the various applications and uses. In certain applications, a user may desire to have a cooler with a wet area, such as when ice is used, and a cooler with a dry compartment in which ice or water is not desired. In still other applications, such as when fishing, you may need a cooler to hold recently caught fish or prepared fish and another cooler to carry food for immediate consumption, and another for live fishing bait.
As demonstrated, these varied uses are often not compatible, or desirable, with one another. Additionally, thermal containers are often heavy (especially when loaded with ice and/or cargo) and/or difficult to transport, provided in various sizes and shapes that are often not compatible with one another, and cannot be easily secured while transporting or while in use. Most coolers are not expandable in any meaningful manner, and are lacking in any additional functionality.